Out of 19 voters, only 11 spoke during this vote, requested on Sunday by the president of the federation and which took place in a “completely compliant and validated by bailiff” manner, specified Mr. Le Guennec. Patrice Martin judged on the contrary that this vote “causes challenge and control” given that it took “3h44” to let him know what “19 people” had voted. In a written statement, he criticizes “a vote whose organizational conditions and results raise many questions in terms of transparency and ethics”.
Unknown in the world of skating, Gwenaelle Noury won the election for the presidency of the FFSG at the end of June, beating the outgoing Nathalie Péchalat. She had assured that her competitor was remotely controlled by former president Didier Gailhaguet, who had been forced to resign in the spring of 2020, accused of having covered up a trainer implicated in rape and sexual assault. In a letter, Patrice Martin and the treasurer, Loris Bertrand, denounced “methods from another time”, “privileging self-help, cronyism and personal interest to the very detriment of the general interest” in this federation.
“Methods from another time”
Asked about the ousting of the secretary general just four months after an election in which the ghost of Didier Gailhaguet hovered, Mr. Le Guennec felt that “it was not a comfortable situation” but “that it looked like a run-in at the start of mandate”. In an investigation published in our columns on Sunday, we explained that the president of the Federation was at odds with Patrice Martin and that Didier Gailhaguet, whose shadow once again hovers over the Federation, was trying to “get him fired”, like the said a trainer.
A little earlier in the day on October 26, the former president of the FFSG, Didier Gailhaguet, defended himself to AFP to have “a role” in the federation after the ousting of secretary general Patrice Martin who notably accused the new president of “cronyism” and “between oneself”. Asked about the accusations that he pulls the strings behind the scenes of the federation now chaired by Gwenaelle Noury, he said he “had no role in the federation” calling himself an “attentive spectator”. If he admits having “actively participated” in the campaign for the election, which saw Gwenaelle Noury beat Nathalie Péchalat who had succeeded him at the end of June, Didier Gailhaguet explained that he found it “abnormal that we involve him” then that he has “no position.” ” Responding to those who lend him the intention to change the statutes to be able to return to the organization chart of the federation, Didier Gailhaguet explained: “And I would arrive hooded to change the statutes? I have no desire to become president of this federation again, ”he assured. He is currently treasurer of Brian Joubert’s club in Poitiers.
The Ministry of Sports has commissioned a general inspection of the French Federation of Ice Sports (FFSG) which will deal with all aspects, both governance and financial and accounting issues.